Garment clasp



C; A. SQ UlRES. GARMENT CLASP. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3I, 1921.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

NHTED TTES PATENT FHCEQ CURTIS A. SQUIRES, 0E LYNDONVILLE, VERMONT.

GARMENT CLASP.

Application filed March 31, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CUR'rIs A. S UIREs. a citizen of the United States. residing at Lyndonville, in the county of Caledonia and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention. relates to garment clasps and while designed primarily for use in connection with a garment or hose supporter, may be employed in other connections.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a clasp which will firmly and securely grip the hose or the like to be supported without likelihood however of wearing or tearing the same.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the clasp that when anchored to the hose it will not be liable to become accidentally disengaged therefrom and may therefore be permitted to remain connected with the garment for any desired length of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clasp for the purpose stated simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the claspv embodying the invention employed in connection with a garment;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the clasp removed;

Figure is vertical front to rear sec tional view through the clasp;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 looking in a downward direction.

As previously stated, the clasp embodying the invention is capable of general application in supporting articles of wearing apparel and in Figure 1 of the drawings it is illustrated as associated with a garter 1 which is otherwise of the ordinary type and employed in supporting a sock indicated by the numeral 2. The clasp comprises two members one indicated in general by the numeral. 3 and the other in general by the numeral 4. The member 3 is formed from a sheet metal blank of elongated or strip-like torm and comprises a flat shank portion 5 provided at its lower end with a tongue 6 connected therewith by an integral bend 7 and extending upwardly from the bend in :tront of the shank portion 5 and suitably spaced therefrom, the tongue at its upper Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

Serial No. 457,190.

end terminating short of the upper end of the shank portion and being deflected inwardly toward the latter. as indicated by the numeral In order to accommodate the portion of the garment which is to be gripped by the clasp, the tongue 6 is formed with an opening 9 of substantially elliptical shape and having a relatively wide upper end 10 and a relatively narrow lower end 11 which constitutes a kerf receiving the said portion of the garment.

The upper end portion of the shank is bent over upon itself in a rearward direction to provide a portion 12 lying against the forward side of the said shank, and the portion 12 of the shank is stamped up. to provide sleeve-like portions 13 and 14 closed by the overlapped portion of the shank. The member 4c of the clasp comprises spaced normally diverged arms 15 and a connecting portion 16, the latter being circular in cross section and pivotally engaged within the sleeve 13 so that the member l may be swung toward and away from the member 8. The arms 15 of the member 4: may be of any desired cross sectional shape as for example the flat shape shown in the drawings or rounded, and the divergence of the arms is in the direction of their free ends, their said ends being turned inwardly toward the member 3 substantially at right angles to the main portion of the arms and to provide gripping lingers indim-ited by the numeral 16. These fingers 1.6 are provided each with an outwardly laterally directed knob or button 17 preferably rounded as are also the said fingers 16, so as not to unduly wear the garment engaged by the fingers or tear the same. The member 4 is of resilient metal and when the arms thereof are disengaged from the member the fingers 15 of the arms are spaced apart a distance greater than the maximum width of the opening 9. In applying the clasp the portion of the garment to be gripped is disposed over the opening 9 in the tongue 6, and the free ends of the arms 15 are then sprung toward each other and the member 4 is swung inwardly toward the member 3 so that the fingers 16 will press the said portions of the garment through the opening whereupon the arms 15 are released and will spring apart to assume positions with their fingers 16 gripping the said portion of the garment between them and the adjacent sides of the opening 9, the knobs or buttons 17 engaging behind the tongue 6 at the opposite sides of the opening 9 therein, so as to retain the member 'in engaged position.

In order that the clasp may be connected with a garter or the like, a bail 18 is pivotally engaged with the sleeve 14 and may be connected with the garter in any desired manner. v

While the members of the clasp are formed of metal, it will be understood that either or both of the members may be cloth covered or provided with a covering of any othersuitable-material so as to prevent rustin of the parts Having thus describedthe invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A clasp comprising a member having an opening therein; and a member comprising spaced resiliently connected arms having terminal portions directedat an angle toward the first mentioned member and engageable in the said opening when the arms are sprung" together.

2. A clasp comprising a member having a shank and a portion spaced therefrom and provided with an opening; and; a member pivotally: connected with the said shank and comprising spaced resiliently connected arms having'terminal portions directed at an angle toward the first mentioned member and provided with lateral extremities engageable in the said opening when the arms are sprung together.

3. A- clasp comprising a member having an opening therein, and amember connected with the first-mentioned member and "com.- prising spaced resiliently connected arms having terminal portions directed at an angle' thereto and normally spaced apart a dis tance greater than the width of the opening and being engageable through the opening when the arms are sprung toward each other.

a. A clasp comprising a member having an opening therein, and a member connected with the first-mentioned member and comprising spaced resiliently connected arms having terminal portions directed at an angle thereto and normally spaced apart a distance greater than the width. of the opening and being cngageable through "the opening when the arms are sprung toward each O't/ll61,l)h6 said terminal portions havinglaterally deflected extremities engageable behind the first-mentioned member at the op posite sides of the opening therein.

5. A clasp comprising a member having shank having one end portion bent back upon itself to overlap another portion, the said overlapped portion being provided with spaced pivot bearings closed by the said end portion of the shank, and an attaching bail pivotally engaged in one of said pivot bearings, and a member coi 'iprising spaced arms and a portion connecting the arms and pivotally engaged with the other pivot bearing, the said shank having its other end portion turned back upon itself and provided with an opening, the said arms being normally spread apart at their free ends distance greater than the width of the opening and being resilient; and the said arms at their said ends having gripping portions directed at an angle thereto and'in the direction of the said shank and engageable'thro-ugh'the opening when the arms are sprung toward each other.

Intestimony'whereot l; atii'x my signature.

conris A. seUInEs. 

